Casing-head.



A- G. HEGGEM.

CASING HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.I7, 1914.

- 1,165,253., Patented Dec.21,1915.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'-.ALFBED G. HEGGEM, or TULSA, OKIiAHOlVLA, ASSIGNOR TO THE OIL WELL IMPROVE- MENTS COMPANY, 01 TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

CASING-HEAD.

. To all who m i t may concern:

. Be it known that' I, ALFRED G. HEGGEM,

-a citizen of the UnitedStates, residingvat Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casing-Heads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction ofeasing heads for oil, gas or other wells, and is designed to afford a simple, durable and eflicient device by which the flow of oil,

gas, water, or other fluid from a well may.

I be constantly maintained under control.

Asis' well understood, oil flowing from a well is carried by gas and moves at a high velocity. .In casing heads as now constructed the oil," in having its direction of flow changed so as to permit itto issue from the usual side opening in the casing head, im-

inges upon surfaces that very greatly interere with the flow, the stream of oilbeing to a considerable extent broken up into particles, rebounding and interfering with the upwardly rising column of oil. This atomizing or nebulizing of the oil is the cause of the blue, smoke-like oil vapor which is observable in flowing wells, the vapor being gas carrying particles ofoil. The oil thus nebulized, which frequently amounts to a large number of barrels a day, is often entirely wasted. By my invention substantially all of the oil thus dissipated may be saved without the necessity of employing tanks for catching this vapor and permitting it to settle;

One of the principal objects of my invention, therefore, is to provide ,a casing head in which atomizing or nebulizing offlowing oil, commonly attendant upon delivering it througha lateralopening in the casing head, v head to a flow tank; the threads of the pas-' greatly reduced. 1

comes ignited at the surface, there is not sufficient time to permit the drilling tools tobe withdrawn from the well'and thewell rig. is almost invariably destroyed by fire, with i the attendant danger :to 'life -afid, ..propeity. With a casing head involving cer'ain fe a tures of'my invention this risk to lifeand property'is almost completely eliminated, as

.the flow of fluid through the'well may be 7 If, with present methods of manipulating. oil and gas wells, a sudden flow of gas is' encountered during'drill-ing and the gas be- Specification of Letters Patent. Patient e11 Dec. 21, 1915; Application filed Aug'ust 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,118.

immediately controlled without the necessity of withdrawing the drilling tools.

A further special object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a casing head by which the flow of fluid from the well may be controlled without the necessity of first withdrawing the drilling tools from the well.

' Generally stated, the several objects of my invention are embodied in a casing head involving a body having a plurality of passages therein, and a valve member rotatably mounted on said body and serving to control the flow of fluid through the passage, said In the drawings illustrating my invention,.

the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a casing head embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section, taken in the plane of the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken in the plans of the line 3-'3, Fig. }11; acild Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the casing The body 1 of the casing head is preferably formed with a side opening or lateral passage 2 and with alined vertical passages 3 and 4, respectively, the several passages extending inwardly and opening into that por tion of the interior of the body which receives therotatable valve 5. Each of said passages, is preferably threathed interiorly,

the threads of the passage 2 permitting the attachment of a flow line from the casing threads of the passage 4 being designedto receive the well casing. shown more particularly in Figsi'l and 2, the upper passa'ge 3 may. be counterbored, so as to .form

an annular shoulder 6 which affords a seat for an ordinary oil-saver disk. Set screws Rotatably mounted within the body" 1 of .1 ay ;.be conveniently employed in maintai'nii gjthe oil saver disk (not shown) in f positfiin when in use.

the casing head is a valve member which maybe turned so as to prevent fluid from flowing upwardly through the passage 4; .or

, which may occupy a position in which the fluid is prevented from flowing through the passage 3 while being permitted to flow through the passage '4 and thence out thr ugh the lateral passage 2; or which may occupy the position shown in the drawings, in. which the several passages, 2, 3 and 4, are in open communication with each other. In this latter position of the valve 5 it will be seen that the drillingtools may be lowered into the well and drilling operations freely performed. 5

The valve member 5 is provided upon its interior with a deflecting surface 8 which, when the valve member 5 is in a position closing the passage 3, serves to change the direction of flow of fluid rising through the passage 4 and to deflect it without violent disturbance, toward the laterally opening passage 2, thus promoting the flow of the stream of oil toward and into said lateral passage. .ASTSllOWIl in the drawings, the deflecting surface 8 is preferably cylindrical and of 'a radius ofcurvature corresponding to that of the cylindrical passages 2, 3 and 4, the axis of curvature of said cylindrical deflecting surface extending at an angle to the axis upon 'which the valve member 5 turns. When operating to perform its function of deflecting the upwardly rising stream of oil, the direction of curvature of a the cylindrical surface 8 extends or inclines from the lower passage 4 toward the lateral j passage or'side opening '2 in the casing head. The rotatable plug valve member 5 is also 1 preferably provided with a recess 9 which is adapted to receive the drilling cable when the valvemember isactuated during drill: ing operations to check the flo'w of the fluid. This recess is preferably so positionedthat 'its path of travel intersects the coincident a circular aperture-opposite the passage 2 and is retained in such assembled position bymeansof a stufling box member 10 that is secured to the body 1 by means of. bolts 11, the packing ring 12 of suitable material being preferably interposed between the stuffing box 10 and the body 1 to prevent the escape of fluid between such'parts.

The rotatable valve member 5 is provided withan axially arranged stem- 13 which pro jects outwardly through the stuflin box 10.

Leakage of fluid between the stu ng box and the valve stem may be conveniently prevented by means of a packing ring 14 which 'is compressible by a gland or follower 15 that may be secured to the stufiing box 10 by means of cap screws 16, such cap screws, as will hereinafter appear, being preferably so arranged as to serve as stops for determining the proper positions of the valve member 5. The outer end of the stem 13 may be threaded interiorly, as at 17, for

the purpose of permitting a joint of. pipe to be secured thereto, to thereby form a long stem whereby the valve plug 5 may be 0 erated from a point outside the derrick. ear its outer end the stem 13 is preferably provided with diametricallyextending holes 18 which are adapted to receive a bar, section of pipe or similar appliance for turjningthe valve member 5. The holes 18 in the valve stem and the cap screws 16 which secure the 'gland 15 in place are. preferably so formed and arranged that the said cap screws, by

engaging the bar introduced in one of the holes 18 for operating the valve member 5', serve as stops whereby the position of the rotatable valve member may be determined.

"The surfaces on the interior of the body member 1 which form bearings for'the plug member 5 are preferably comparatively narrow raised ribs having depressions between them. The opening at the inner end of each of the passages of the body-is bordered or surrounded by a rib-19 of such character,

those ribs which are at theends of the vertically alined passages 2 and 3'co6perating with the plug 5 to effectively seal said 'passages against the flow of fluid through them, and the rib 19 bordering the inner opening of the laterally extending passage2 serving as a shoulder or stop which, by engaging the" ring-like end of the valve plug 5, serves to limit the axial movement-of the plug in one direction. The iriterior surface of the body member 1' of the casing head is also preferably provided with similar circularly extending bearing ribs 20 which respectivelyv I cla1m: 1. A casing head involving a body proengage the end; portions of the plug 5.

vided with means whereby itmay be attached to the casing of a well and having a plurality of passages, some of which are in vertical alinement and adapted to, .permit the passage of the well drilling cable and toolstherethrough, and a valve member rotatably mounted on said body and constituting means for restraining the flowof fluid through said body while the drilling cable extends through the said vertically alined passages of said body and having a deflecting surface serving to change the direction of flow of fluid impinging thereagainst' and being adapted to permit the well drilling tools to pass through said body, said deflecting surface being adapted to occupy a position in which it lnclines-continuously without reversal of direction from one of said vertically alined passages toward another of said passages in said body and-being adapted to deflect the fluid impinging thereagainst 1 directly into said last named passage, and

said valve member being adapted to occupy a position permitting the well drilling tools topass through said verticallyalined pas-" sages while permitting another of said passages in said body to be in open communication with said vertically alinedpassages'.

2. A casing head involving a body having means whereby it may be connected to the casing of a well and having-a plurality of passages, some of which are in vertical alinement and adapted to permit the passage of the Well drilling" cable and tools therethrough, and a plug valvemember rotatably mounted on said body and adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling tools and having a curved deflecting surface which extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of said valve and which constitutes means for'changing the direction of flow of fluid 1 impinging thereagainst, said valve member constituting means for restraining the flow of fluid through said body and being movable to a position 'in which said deflecting surface has a direction of curvature extending from-one of said passages toward another of said passages, and said valve memher and body being formed to permit'said valve member to restrain the flow of fluid through said bodywhile the drilling cable extends through said body.

. .3. ,A 'c'asing head involving a body having aplurality of .passages therein, some of which are in vertical alinement and adapted to'permit the passage of the well-drilling cable :and. toolsitherethrough, and aplug valve rotatably .mounted on said body and having an inclined" deflecting surface extending at anangle to the axis of-rotation-of said valve and which is adapted to change the; direction of flow of fluid impinging thereagainst,-' said valve member being I adapted to be rotated to a position in which ft-he said deflecting surface inclines from a vertically opening passage in said body to ward] a laterally opening passage in said body "to thereby direct the flow-of fluid toward said laterallv openingpassageand being also adapted to occupy a; position permitting. the well drillingcab lej and tools to,

pass through said vertically alinedpassages" while permitting another of said" passages in said body to be in open-communication with said vertically alined pa'ssages.-

. 4. A'casing head involving a body having a plurality of angularly disposed passages therein some of which are in vertical aline ment and adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough, and a plug valve rotatably mounted 'on sald body and affording communication through its end with a laterally opening passage in said body and formed on its 1nterior with a cylindrically curveddeflecting surface which extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of said valve and which is adapted to change the direction of flow of fluid impinging thereagainst, said valve member constituting means for restraining the flow of'fluid through said body and being adapted to, occupy a piston in which the direction of curvature of said cylindrical surface ex: tends from one of said vertically alined passages toward said laterally opening passage and being also adapted to occupy a posltion in which said vertically alined passages and said laterally opening passage are simultaneously in open relation.

5. A casing head having a body involving a laterally extending passage and a plurality of vertically extending passages adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough, and a plug valve mounted on said body and adapted to control the flow of fluid through said passages, said plug valve being rotatable on an axis passing through said laterally extending passage and being provided with a recess adapted to receive the drilling cable when said valve is moved to restrain the flow of fluid through said body. I 6. A casing head having a body involving a laterally extending passage and a plurality of vertically extendingpassages adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough, and a valve member mounted on said body and adapted to control the flow of fluid through said passages,

said valve member being rotatable on an axis extending in the direction of said lateral.

passage and having a curved deflecting .sur-

face extending at an angle to the axis of rotation of said valve which isadapted to change'the direction of flow of fluid impinging'thereagainst, and said deflecting surface being adapted to occupy a. position in aline ment with said vertically extending passages in which it has a direction of curvature extending from one of said vertically extending passages toward said laterally extending passage.

' to receive a drilling'cable when said valve is turned to check the flow of fluid, and said valve member having an opening through its side permitting the valve member to check the flow of fluid while engaging one side munication with one of said vertically alined passages, and said body and said valve memher being adapted to receive a drilling cable betweenthem when said valve is moved to check the flow of fluid through said vertically alined passages while the drilling tools are in the well; said valve member being adapted to engage one side only of the drilling cable when closing communication between said vertically alined passages while the drilling tools are in the well.

9. A casing head involving a body having a laterally extending passage and a plurality of vertically extending passages therein which are adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough, a cylindrically curved valve mem ber mounted on said body, said body being provided adjacent to 'said laterally extendmg passage with a shoulder forming a seat adapted to limit axial movement of said valve, and said valve being rotatable on an axis coinciding with the axis of said laterallyiextending passage and having an endbearmg coacting with said shoulder, and a stufling box secured to said body, said valve member having a'stem which passesthrough said stufiing box and the outer ,end whereof 1s formed to receive means whereby said valve member may be rotated.'

10. A casing head involving a body member-havinga plurality of vertically alined passages adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therewhen said valve member is rotated to check the flow, of fluid through one of said passages.

11. A casing head involving a body having therein a laterally extending passage and having vertically extending passages adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough, a valve member rotatably mounted in said body and having a stem whereby it may be rotated on an axis extending through said laterally extending passage, and a stufling box secured to said body and through which the stem of said valve passes, said valve being formed with a curved, deflecting surface having its axis of curvature extending at an. angle to the axis of rotation of said valve and being adapted to occupy a position in alinement with said vertically extending passages to thereby deflect fluid impinging thereagainst toward said laterally extending passage and being also formed with a recess which is adapted to receive a drilling cable when said valve to check the flow of the fluid. v v

12. A casing head involving a body member having vertically alined passages which are adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough and also having a laterally opening passage is actuated communicating with said vertically alined I.

passages, and a valve member mounted to turn in said body and adapted to occupy a position restraining the flow of fluid through said vertically alined passages and also adapted to occupy a position permitting the passage .of the well drilling tools, said valve member having but a single opening through its side, and said body member and valve member being adapted to receive a drilling cable between them when said valve is moved to close communication between said vertically alined passages while the drilling tools are in the well.

13. A casing head involving a body memher having vertically alined passages'which are adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough and also having a laterally opening passage communicating with said vertically alined Y passages, and a valve member mounted to through and also having a laterally opening passage, and a valve member rotatably mounted on said body'to turn on an axis coinciding with the axis of one of said passages, sa1d valve member having a curved deflecting-surface which extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of said valve and which is adapted to occupy a position in alinement with said vertically extending passages to therebychange the direction of flow of fluid. impinging thereagainst and direct it into said laterally opening passage, and one of said members having a recess which is adapted to receive a drilling cable turn in said body and adapted when in one cause the fluid to flow through. said later-- ally opening passage, one of said members being provided with a recess adapted to receive the drilling cable when said valve 00- j cupies the position for restraining the flow of fluid through said body, said valve member having an,opening through its side permitting it when in said last named position to engage one side only of the drilling cable.

14. A casing head involving a body member having a plurality of vertically alined passages which are adapted to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough and also having a laterally opening passage Communicating with said vertically alined passages, anda valve member mounted to turn in said body and adapted to restrain the flow of fluid through said body, said valve member being adapted when in one position to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools and being also adapted to occupy a position permitting said laterally opening passage to be in open communication with one only of said vertically alined passages, and said valve member being formed with a continuous deflecting surface which is adapted to occupy a position in alinement with said vertically extending passages and which when so positioned has portions which are respectively tangential to the periphery of said laterally opening passage and to the periphery of that one of the said vertically alined passages then in communication, and said body member and said valve member being adapted to receive the drilling cable between them when said valve is moved to close communication between said vertically alined passages while the drilling tools are in the well. l

15. A casing head involving a body member having a plurality of vertically alined passages adapted topermit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough and also having a laterally opening passage and a rotatable plug valve which is adapted to occupy a position permitting the passage of the well. drilling tools and which is also adapted to restrain the flow of fluid through said casing head and to close communication between said vertically alined passages while permitting said laterally opening passage to be in open communication with one of said vertically alined passages, said body being formed on its interior with inwardly projecting ribs forming bearings for the said plug, some of said ribs respectively surrounding the'inner ends of said vertically alined passages and engaging the said valve member to seal their respective openings, and the surface of the said body member being depressed between said ribs.

16. A casing head involving a body member having vertically alined passages adapted 'to permit the passage of the well drilling cable and tools therethrough and also having a laterally opening passage, and a valve member mounted in said body member and movable with respect thereto, said members being adapted to receive a drilling cable between them when said valve is moved to restrain the flow of fluid through the casing head while the drilling tools are in the well, and said valve member having an opening through its side permitting it to engage one 

